This is an excerpt from "Basic Rose Care" presented by the Redwood
Rose Society. The booklet has been developed as a guide in order
to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about growing roses.
While it is not necessarily intended to be a complete guide to growing
roses, it does contain the basics and then some. It is available
in its entirety at the monthly meetings.

January is the month that most rose growers in Sonoma County begin
to prune their roses. It is a good idea to strip off all remaining
foilage before beginning to prune as this allows you to better see what
you are doing. It is a good idea to cut off foilage rather than to
tear it off. If you don't have confidence in your pruning abiltiy,
this is the month when a lot of pruning demonstrations take place.
Attend one. After you finish pruning, a dormant spray should be applied
in order to help prevent a repeat of last year's diseases. Removal
of all leaves and debris from the soil around the plants is essential.
January is also the best time to purchase and plant new bareroot roses
or to move existing plants.

Feburary

If you haven't finished pruning yet, do so. Make sure that you
are finished by the end of this month. Bareroot plants are usually
still available during February. If your plants haven't put forth
new growth longer than 1/2 inch, a second application of a dormant spray
is a good idea. If your plants have grown more than 1/2 inch, an
application of a fungicide would be in order.

March

This is the month when diseases begin to appear. If you started
to spray a fungicide in February, the chances are that your plants look
clean. A bi-monthly spray program will keep them that way.
Now is the time to begin fingerpruning. This activity is discussed
elsewhere in this booklet. March is a good time to begin your fertilizer
schedule. Any fertilizer with a good nitrogen level will promote
new growth.

April

Continue to spray a fungicide on a bi-monthly schedule. Use an
insecticide only if you have an insect problem. Aphids usually show
up about this time of the year. Begin using a complete balanced fertilizer
such as 16-16-16 or 20-20-20. These formulations are easy to find
at your garden center or nursery. Either liquid or granular is fine.

May

Another application of a balanced fertilizer should be applied now.
Keep up your preventative spray program.

June

Same as May. Also, this is the month to really be on the alert
for insects. Different areas have different problems. Spider
Mites begin to appear when the days become hot. If you don't react
to these pests rapidly, your plants will suffer damage in a matter of days.

July & August

These are the months when very warm weather takes a toll on your roses.
Many varieties produce smaller flowers during the summer than they do during
spring and fall. Water is a key ingredient for roses during the summer.
Mulching your plants helps keep the soil cool, retains moisture and helps
improve the soil as it breaks down.

September & October

The beginning of September is the last time you should apply any fertilizer
containing nitrogen. After that, if you want to fertilize, use a
product like 0-10-10. The reason for this is discussed elsewhere
in this booklet. Your flowers will be of better quality during these
months than they were during the summer. As the weather cools, your
spray program should continue because mildew loves those cooler nights.

November & December

Stop fertilizing, keep spraying. Let your plants, and yourself,
rest. Keeping the garden clean will help prevent problems next year.
Look at your garden and decide which plants you want to replace.
This is also a fun time to look at catalogs and think about which new roses
you want to add for next year.